Newsletters

During the midterm elections, voters showed up at the polls in record numbers and elected more women, people of color, and folks from other traditionally marginalized communities to Congress. Voters used the power of the ballot to enact measures to protect voting rights and stem the rise of gun violence. We’re sharing some pieces that highlight new perspectives on existing narratives that inspire us to expect the unexpected in the year ahead.

When systems and communities orient around wellbeing, we create possibilities for lasting change for people and families. Our spring newsletter highlights partnerships that are supporting families in sustaining positive change, focusing on wellbeing to increase equity and justice, and bringing a wellbeing orientation directly to the community. Hear from partners about what this change looks like from the inside and what that means for families, meet talented artist and youth ambassador Trey from our community-based collaboration in St. Louis, and see how the FFI team is growing and changing!

October 2017 From seeing people as “other” to seeing a universal drive for wellbeing

We are explicitly naming our work as social change. Through our work and with our partners we are removing the sense of “other” that breeds divisiveness and instead recognizing us all as people striving for a wellbeing. This work—and the real impact it has in systems, in communities, and for people and families—is essential to healing our country. Learn more about what this shift looks like in our fall newsletter, and read our latest blog from antiviolence activist and advocate Jennifer Rose, find new resources for increasing access to wellbeing and meet our new board members!

August 2017 Charlottesville: We must replace oppression with wellbeing and justice

Katya Fels Smyth, FFI’s Founder and CEO, responds to the violent acts of racism, hatred and bigotry in Charlottesville. Oppression makes it impossible for people to access wellbeing, but we can collectively build a country where everyone has equitable access to the ingredients of health and hope—by constantly responding to oppression, intimidation and racism with wellbeing and justice.

If we stop asking each other “what’s the matter with you?” and instead ask “what matters to you?,” we will find that we are all more alike than different and what matters to each of us is that we are seen as whole people whose wellbeing matters to others. Our summer newsletter features a few of our projects and partnerships that are demonstrating the power of seeing people as their whole selves and declaring that their wellbeing matters to us, and also includes a new blog post about inequity and the pursuit of the American Dream, and a welcome to our new team members!

A message from FFI’s Founder and CEO Katya Fels Smyth, offering a way forward through the divisiveness and intimidation that was highlighted by the election. Recognizing that we all have a right to wellbeing and building a movement that supports the access to and realization of this right for everyone is a collective responsibility, and a positive way forward in addressing violence and oppression.

The work of increasing access to wellbeing for people, families and communities experiencing violence and oppression necessarily calls for partnership and collaboration. It takes people bringing their strengths, assets, tools and lived experiences to the table to address issues of inequity in our communities. This special newsletter focuses on new resources for those of you championing the right to wellbeing in your work.

Summer 2016It is time for the world to change—how are you choosing to change it?

Recent events that seem to highlight the inequities in our systems and communities have given us pause to reflect on how the work of FFI and our partners is serving to stop the rain of oppression, hate and violence. Our summer newsletter illustrates what is happening with the growing energy around equitable access to wellbeing in systems, services and communities. Read it to learn about our wellbeing work in Missouri and California, check out our latest blog on social justice and evaluation, and meet our newest team members!

Winter 2016We are learning from what’s going well to address what isn’t

Our first newsletter in 2016 highlights what happens when you start from what’s going well in order to support lasting community transformation. Read it to learn about our new toolkit for philanthropy, find exciting updates about the project in California, meet our newest superstar team members and more!

This newsletter showcases the ways in which our partners are breaking down silos, pushing beyond organizational boundaries and unleashing the potential for change, all to increase access to wellbeing for people living at the intersection of poverty, trauma, violence and oppression. Read it to learn more, catch our latest blog post, meet new faces and find out who’s spreading the word!

Find out about all the ways our partners are using the Five Domains of Wellbeing framework to make change happen in systems, programs and communities. Read it to learn more, catch our latest blog post, and meet our newest team member, plus other exciting updates!

This issue celebrates the learnings we can all find in our work and communities by more closely examining success, not just dissecting mistakes or problems. We also announce two new open positions, highlight the outstanding work of our partners, and share our summer reading picks with you.

Winter 2015Partnerships: Messy, fun, challenging—5 insights into making them more successful

Examine the fun, messy and challenging nature of partnerships in this newsletter, with insights from Katya Fels Smyth into fostering and sustaining successful partnerships. This issue also highlights some of the amazing work happening with and through FFI’s partnerships, and announces new resources and opportunities. Read it and let us know what you think!

This newsletter highlights the many projects and partnerships that are leading to big change for people and communities across the country. FFI’s Founder and CEO Katya Fels Smyth reflects on some of the core beliefs that are central to the effectiveness of these collaborative endeavors to support people’s wellbeing, including the acknowledgement that we all, as human beings, are more alike than different. Read on and let us know what you think!

Katya Fels Smyth highlights three reasons why FFI and Full Frame partners focus on people, not problems, and we share the latest news from our work with amazing organizations around the country.

Fall 2013A new Five Domains of Wellbeing resource for you, and other great news!

In this issue we proudly announce our new video overview of the Five Domains of Wellbeing. This newsletter also features the great work happening in Missouri’s juvenile justice system and the latest news about the Full Frame Initiative around the country. Read it, and share with a friend or colleague!

featured news

Nine years ago, the Full Frame Initiative (FFI) was founded out of hope for what could beand frustration about what is. To this day, we stay centered on a central question: what if our service systems … Read More...

Statement on Equity and Social Justice

We believe equity and social justice are necessary for wellbeing--the needs and experiences required for health and hope. People experience barriers to wellbeing based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic class, and other identities. In particular, racism is a key part of what keeps inequity alive in the United States. We believe that increasing access to wellbeing is necessary to end racism and advance racial equity. We are committed to addressing issues of racial and social equity in all our work.